Craig
MacLean - Totally Focused on Beijing
Thursday 13th March, 2008
by Ed Hood
It would have been his 13th Worlds; but for the
first time since 1996 there will be no one from Granton-on-Spey on
the British track team, when the series kick off in Manchester in
a week-or-so.
VeloResults
caught up with Craig MacLean on the day ‘The Guardian’
told us that he won’t be pulling on a GB ‘speed suit’
for the team or individual sprints.
Can I just check your palmares, Craig?
Worlds Team sprint: Bronze 2001, 2003 and 2004; Silver
1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007; Gold 2002, plus Olympic team sprint Silver
in 2000, and Worlds Individual Sprint: Silver 2006? "If
you say so, Ed! I’ve ridden every Worlds since 1996, this would
have been my thirteenth participation, so maybe it’s as well
I’m not riding."
Tell us about the injury. "I
tore a glut (gluteus medius muscle) in the gym, last October and whilst
I could still ride my bike, there’s 2000 watts of difference
between riding your bike through the lanes and doing the type of work
that you need to do to train for the Worlds.
"It
meant I missed a lot of foundation work and by the time I had recovered
I went straight into the World Cup series, trying to get speed but
without having done the base work.
"My form hasn’t really built because
you’re trying to go well all the time; if I had gone back to
basics I wouldn’t have had the speed that’s required.
"This is a time when you are constantly
under scrutiny, to get points for Olympic qualification from the World
Cups and to get selection for the Worlds."
I read that you had withdrawn, rather not being selected?
"I was offered a trial to ride as second or third man in
the team sprint and also for the individual sprint and keirin, but
even if I had won selection, it would have been a compromise.
"It would have been great to ride at Manchester
and win a medal, but I’ve won a lot of Worlds medals, now the
Olympics are the main thing.
"I’ve actually started foundation
training for the Olympics – I did that right after I made the
decision not to ride and I’m now totally focused on the Olympic
trials, which will probably be in early July.
Its more gym based but there’s no substitute
for riding your bike and I’ll be doing base work there too."
So, Jamie Staff has your place as lead off rider?
"For a wee while anyway!"
Will you watch the Worlds? "I’ll watch the
individual sprint - that would be helpful from a tactical point of
view. But its tough watching the team sprint, I did it once before
and it wasn’t enjoyable – I’ll maybe watch the recorded
highlights on TV."
Who are the teams to beat in the team sprint? "France,
definitely, Germany and the Dutch have come on. The Dutch really only
have three guys, but that can be a big positive; I remember when it
was just Chris, Jason and me, we were totally focussed on the job,
there were no selection worries, you knew that it was just the three
of you and what had to be done. If you have to keep fighting for a
place I think it can get to a point where it’s almost counter
productive because you’re thinking about selection all the time,
rather than the race."
Can
you talk about the new hardware? "I’d talk
about it, if I knew about it! We’re kind of out of the loop
on that, I don’t think that the bikes will be radically different
but there are developments with skinsuits and helmets. They leave
it ‘til late with things like that so as the other teams can’t
see them and copy them."
Has this injury set you to thinking about ‘life after
the bike?’ "I’m actually very positive
just now, I’m totally focussed on Beijing, to think beyond that
would be negative – it’s all or nothing for the Olympics!"
Glad to hear it Craig!
We’re sure you’ll join us in wishing Craig every success
in his preparations for Beijing, and would like to thank him again
for taking the time to talk to us.
